


Darkness before Dawn

by shinysylver



Series: Soulmate 'Verse [7]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Blood, Injury, M/M, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-03-10
Updated: 2011-03-10
Packaged: 2017-10-16 20:32:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/169055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shinysylver/pseuds/shinysylver
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve's down but you can never count a SEAL out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Darkness before Dawn

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer:** I don't own Hawaii Five-0.  
>  This is for my H50 prompt table in the [](http://community.livejournal.com/h50_50/profile)[**h50_50**](http://community.livejournal.com/h50_50/) Community. The prompt was **DARKNESS**. My prompt table can be found here: [Sensational Sensations](http://shinysylver.livejournal.com/52922.html). I seem to have come up with the bright idea to connect all of the fic I write for this table into one big ‘Verse which I have christened the Soulmate'Verse. I have several stories planned out at the moment but they won’t necessarily be written or posted in chronological order. If you want to see the order they go in I am keeping track [here](http://shinysylver.livejournal.com/59213.html#cutid1).
> 
> This story immediately follows **Home Is with the Heart** but we are back to Steve's perspective. Beware the major Steve Whump!

The first thing he was aware of was pain, a throbbing constant pain in the back of his head that blocked out thought and made his stomach turn. Steve tried to raise his hands to cradle his aching head and realized that he couldn’t. His hands were bound behind him, handcuffed tightly in place. It was a testament to the pain in his head that he hadn’t even noticed that his arms were wrenched awkwardly, pulling painfully on his injured shoulder. On the other hand, he was almost grateful for the numbness that came from lack of blood flow because it meant that the bullet wound wasn’t as painful as it probably would be otherwise.

Steve fought down the waves of nausea that, coupled with the head wound, was a sure sign of a concussion and pulled roughly at the handcuffs to no avail. Taking a deep breath he stilled himself and studied his surroundings. He peered into the darkness but couldn’t see anything except a faint light under what must be a door at the other end of the room. He strained his ears, trying to hear over the painful throbbing in his head and was relieved to hear the steady crash of waves. He assumed that he was in the smuggling caves. He didn’t think he had been out long enough for them to move him far. At least he hoped that he hadn’t been.

How could he have been so stupid? How had he not heard the men approaching? Some SEAL he was getting shot then brained with a fucking cricket bat on a simple recon mission. And now, now he was going to have to get himself out of this mess because no one knew where he was. In hindsight he probably should have told Chin where he was going but that was beside the point now. The only positive in the whole situation was that Danny was in New Jersey and therefore not here to say “I told you so.”

Steve took a deep breath, he needed to stop thinking and focus on escaping before someone came in and realized he was awake. Unfortunately he couldn’t reach the metal pin he always kept in his boot for situations like this so he was going to have to improvise. Before he had time to think too long about it, he grabbed the thumb on his left hand and wrenched it hard and fast pulling it out of its socket. Once it was dislocated, he ignored the pain and forced his hand through the cuff, feeling his skin scraping off in the process.

With one hand out he was able to bring his arms around. The rush of blood returning to his numb limbs brought with it pain and stiffness in his left shoulder. He could feel sticky blood slowly run down his arm from the gunshot wound. Steve carefully explored the injury with his good hand and decided it would keep for a while. At least until he could get out of this place. Leaving his shoulder for now, he grabbed his dislocated thumb and once again wrenched it, this time back into its socket, grunting a bit at the pain. It would be weak but usable. Next, he reached into his boot, removed the small metal pin and set to work picking the lock on the cuff.

Finally, free Steve got up and crept toward the light. He slowly opened the door and made his way through the corridor toward what he assumed was the exit. As he got closer, he began to hear voices coming from a room on his right. Curious, he paused outside the closed door to listen.

“When’s he getting here?” a man asked.

“Any minute now, he wants to talk to our guest himself.” A second person replied.

“Well I don’t like it,” said a third person. “He killed Arata. We should kill him and be done with it.”

“Wo Fat wants him alive.” The first person pointed out.

Steve couldn’t believe his luck; Wo Fat was on his way here. For one frantic, insane moment Steve considered returning to his cell and waiting. Even with his injuries he would have the element of surprise and he could finally avenge his parents. He could end everything once and for all. There would be no need for warrants and due process if Wo Fat was killed during his escape. He quickly turned back in the direction he’d come from but the abrupt movement made his head begin to swim and he had to grab the wall to keep from falling over. Maybe going back wasn’t such a good idea after all. As much as he hated to leave, he had to acknowledge that he wasn’t in any shape to fight.

 _Damn right you’re not in any shape to fight. What do you think you’re invincible?_ The voice that sounded like Danny whispered in his mind and he really hoped that he wasn’t going to be stuck with Danny in his head for the rest of his life.

Resisting the urge to argue with his own subconscious, he turned--slowly this time--and carefully made his way past the door and toward the brightly lit exit. Thankfully there was no one at the entrance to the cave and he was able to slip out unnoticed. Steve was surprised to realize that the light he’d seen was daylight and judging from the sun it was late afternoon. He must have been unconscious a lot longer than he’d realized.

Steve didn’t know how long he had before his absence was discovered, so he dashed across the beach as fast as his throbbing head allowed. Once he reached the tree line he slowed and tried to pace himself. He pressed his hand to his aching shoulder and realized that his shirt was soaked with blood. He needed to get back to the car and get to a hospital soon or he was going to be in real trouble.

Unfortunately, his concussion coupled with the blood loss was making it hard for him to focus, the trees were blurring around him and no matter how hard he tried to remember the map he kept getting turned around. Eventually he gave up on the car and just tried to get as far away from the caves as he could, hoping to find help.

He wasn’t sure how long he wandered before his legs began to grow weak. He stumbled a bit further before finally collapsing against a tree in a small clearing. He was so very tired and shivering uncontrollably despite the muggy Hawaiian heat. Steve knew that he was in shock and that given the situation he wasn’t likely to survive.

Strangely, the only thought in his mind as he drifted off to sleep was Danny. He just wished that he could see Danny one last time before he died.

**

Steve was floating in a soothing darkness; there was no pain and no worries, when he was suddenly jarred awake by a violent shaking. He tried to ignore the hands pulling at him, trying to move him, but the renewed pain in his shoulder wouldn’t let him return to the darkness.

“Steve! Steve, wake up!” Danny pleaded. “You have to wake up.”

That was strange. It sounded like Danny but Steve knew that Danny was in New Jersey. It must be the voice in his head playing tricks on him.

“Please, Steve!” Danny begged his voice frantic. “You can’t die. You can’t leave me.”

That was wrong, Steve knew that was wrong. He hadn’t left Danny, Danny had left him. He struggled to open his eyes. He needed to see if it was really Danny or just the voice. When he finally managed to pry his eyes open everything was blurry but he recognized the familiar blue eyes that were looking into his own.

“Thank God.” Danny said reverently, grabbing Steve’s hand between his own.

“Why aren’t you in Jersey?” Steve croaked in confusion still not sure if this was real. “Why are you here?”

“Why am I here?!” Danny asked incredulously. “You fucking disappeared. Did you really think I would stay in Jersey? Maybe head into the city and take in a show?”

“I don’t understand.” Danny was talking too fast. He always talked too fast but usually Steve could keep up. Not this time.

“How can you not understand?” Danny seemed to deflate. “I’m in love with you. Don’t you understand that?”

Steve stared blankly at Danny, not sure how to respond.

Danny shook his head sadly. “Now isn’t the time for this. The paramedics are on their way. Can you stay awake until they get here?”

Steve nodded and squeezed Danny’s hand. He would stay awake for Danny.


End file.
